Lauderdale County, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lauderdale County
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Lauderdale County Courthouse
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Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
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 Mississippi's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Mississippi |
| Founded | 1833 |
| Named for | James Lauderdale |
| Seat | Meridian |
| Largest city | Meridian |
| Area | |
| • Total | 715 sq mi (1,850 km2) |
| • Land | 704 sq mi (1,820 km2) |
| • Water | 12 sq mi (30 km2) 1.6% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 72,984 |
| • Density | 102.08/sq mi (39.412/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
Lauderdale County is a county located in the eastern part of Mississippi. It sits right on the border with Alabama. In 2020, about 72,984 people lived here.
The main city and county seat is Meridian. The county is named after Colonel James Lauderdale. He was a brave soldier who died in the War of 1812 at the Battle of New Orleans. Lauderdale County is part of the Meridian, MS Micropolitan Statistical Area. This means it's a smaller urban area with Meridian as its center.
Contents
History of Lauderdale County
An early explorer named Sam Dale lived and died in Lauderdale County. He is buried in a town called Daleville. You can find a large monument there in his honor.
Andrew Jackson, a famous general and later president, traveled through the county. He was on his way to New Orleans. A town was even named Hickory after his nickname, "Old Hickory."
The biggest city in the county is Meridian. It was a very important place for railways in the early 1900s. Many trains passed through here. Meridian was also home to the Soulé Steam Feed Works. This factory made steam engines. Early on, cutting down trees (logging) and moving goods by train were big industries.
Lauderdale County also has one of Mississippi's largest waterfalls, Dunns Falls. You can still see an old water-powered mill there today. The county is also where Peavey Electronics started. For over 50 years, this company has made cool audio and music equipment.
Geography of Lauderdale County
Lauderdale County covers about 715 square miles. Most of this area, about 704 square miles, is land. The rest, about 12 square miles, is water.
Major Roads
These are the main highways that run through Lauderdale County:
Interstate 59
Interstate 20
U.S. Highway 11
U.S. Highway 45
U.S. Highway 80
Mississippi Highway 19
Mississippi Highway 39
Neighboring Counties
Lauderdale County shares its borders with these other counties:
- Kemper County (to the north)
- Sumter County, Alabama (to the east)
- Choctaw County, Alabama (to the southeast)
- Clarke County (to the south)
- Newton County (to the west)
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1840 | 5,358 | — | |
| 1850 | 8,717 | 62.7% | |
| 1860 | 13,313 | 52.7% | |
| 1870 | 13,462 | 1.1% | |
| 1880 | 21,501 | 59.7% | |
| 1890 | 29,661 | 38.0% | |
| 1900 | 38,150 | 28.6% | |
| 1910 | 46,919 | 23.0% | |
| 1920 | 45,897 | −2.2% | |
| 1930 | 52,748 | 14.9% | |
| 1940 | 58,247 | 10.4% | |
| 1950 | 64,171 | 10.2% | |
| 1960 | 67,119 | 4.6% | |
| 1970 | 67,087 | 0.0% | |
| 1980 | 77,285 | 15.2% | |
| 1990 | 75,555 | −2.2% | |
| 2000 | 78,161 | 3.4% | |
| 2010 | 80,261 | 2.7% | |
| 2020 | 72,984 | −9.1% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 70,527 | −12.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013 |
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2020 Census Information
The 2020 United States Census counted 72,984 people living in Lauderdale County. There were 29,367 households and 19,612 families.
The table below shows the different groups of people living in Lauderdale County in 2020:
| Race | Number of People | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White | 36,534 | 50.06% |
| Black or African American | 31,980 | 43.82% |
| Native American | 101 | 0.14% |
| Asian | 571 | 0.78% |
| Pacific Islander | 28 | 0.04% |
| Other/Mixed | 1,981 | 2.71% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,789 | 2.45% |
Ancestry Groups (2015)
In 2015, the largest ancestry groups people identified with in Lauderdale County were:
- English - 9.3%
- Irish - 8.9%
- American - 8.0%
- German - 5.9%
- Scottish - 2.1%
- Scots-Irish - 1.7%
- Italian - 1.2%
- French (not including Basque) - 1.1%
- French-Canadian - 0.6%
Education in Lauderdale County
Students in Lauderdale County can attend classes offered by the East Mississippi Community College system. They have an extension campus at the Naval Air Station Meridian in Meridian.
Other colleges in the area include Meridian Community College and the Meridian Campus of Mississippi State University.
Communities in Lauderdale County
Lauderdale County has several towns and communities:
City
- Meridian (This is the county seat and the largest city.)
Town
- Marion (This is the smallest town in the county.)
Unincorporated Areas
These areas are not officially part of a city or town, but they are still communities.
Census-Designated Places
These are special areas that the U.S. Census Bureau defines for gathering data:
- Collinsville
- Lauderdale
- Meridian Station
- Nellieburg
- Toomsuba
Other Communities
Notable People from Lauderdale County
- Samuel Dale (1772–1841) was an American frontiersman. People called him the "Daniel Boone of Alabama." He was a veteran of the Creek War (1813–14). In 1836, Samuel Dale became Lauderdale County's first representative in the Mississippi state legislature.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Lauderdale (Misisipi) para niños
